Interview with Aloysius Rowe, undated [audio]

Hagley ID:
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  • Swimming on the Brandywine Creek; Rescuing a drowning girl on the Brandywine Creek; Father's death; Common illnesses in communities along the Brandywine; Crime along the Brandywine
    Partial Transcript: "This girl came up out of the water with long hair, and I'll never forget that... I grabbed her by the hair." "I could swim, she couldn't." "When anything happened on the Brandywine people were always there to help each other."
    Synopsis: Rowe talks about saving a girl drowning in the Brandywine Creek. He talks about illness and tuberculosis in the communities on the Creek. He says that to his knowledge there was little to no crime on the creek, other than occasional spousal abuse, which he says the community took care of and viewed as a crime.
    Keywords: Brandywine Creek; Consumption; Crime; Dr. Gerald Dougherty; Drowning; DuPont Experimental Station; Pneumonia; Rescues; Swimming; Tuberculosis
  • African-Americans along the Brandywine; Women's employment; Literacy and education; Ghosts and legends
    Partial Transcript: "I don't remember any in the area..." "I got my scare of banshees from a kid I used to run around with..."
    Synopsis: Rowe says that he does not recall African-Americans in the villages on the Brandywine. He talks about women's employment and how some worked for the du Pont family. Rowe talks about ghosts and superstitions, he says that he heard stories about banshees, but never believed them. Rowe describes how his mother was not superstitious and tells a story about how she once investigated the site of a ghostly encounter with a club in hand.
    Keywords: African-Americans; Banshees; DuPont Experimental Station; Education; Employment; Ghosts; Literacy; Maids; Rising Sun Lane, Wilmington, Del.; Servants; Superstitions; Women; Work
Details
Title

Interview with Aloysius Rowe, undated [audio]

Date Created

1968-07-09

Scope and Content

Rowe discusses swimming in the Brandywine during the summer. He also recounts an incident in which he saved a drowning girl. He talks about his father's death, sickness, crime, and superstitions.

Interviewee

Rowe, Aloysius

Interviewer

Pizor, Faith K.
Cambell, Stuart
Scafidi, John A.

Biographical Note

Aloysius Rowe (b. 1905) was born in the village of Henry Clay, the grandson of an Irish powder worker. His father was a painter for DuPont and his mother, a German immigrant, had been a weaver for Bancroft before her marriage.

Note

1 of 2; Note by D.T. Muir (PC Curator): "At start voice states that it is the first side on the second tape of interview...The conversation following is quite indistinct; there seems to be two conversations going on at the same time."
Part 2:Two conversations going on at once from beginning until 0:03:20 -- not understandable until then; Tape hiss; Ends abruptly

Place

Wilmington (Del.)

Subject(s)

Reminiscing
Gunpowder industry--Employees
Explosives industry--Employees
Children

Find all items with name(s)

Rowe, Aloysius
Pizor, Faith K.
Cambell, Stuart
Scafidi, John A.

Genre

oral histories

Brand Information

Claricon, mylar, no. 60-010

Language

English

Type of resource

sound recording-nonmusical

Extent

1 sound tape reel : 3.75 ips. TRT 0:22:49.

Physical Details

One
Part 2: 0:22:49

Repository

Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library

Original Collection

Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation interviews on the history of the DuPont Company Powder Yard (Accession 1970.370)

Original Identifier

1970.370.083

Finding Aid

http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/1970_370.xml

Item Location

Box 3, Reel 83

Preferred Citation

[Description and dates], 1970370_81613_Rowe_A_part2, Box 3, Reel 83, Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation interviews on the history of the DuPont Company Powder Yard (Accession 1970.370), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807

Access Condition

Access to this item is provided for educational and research purposes only. The user assumes responsibility for obtaining permission from the copyright holder to publish or distribute this material. If you would like more information, please contact askhagley@hagley.org

Hagley ID

1970370_81613_Rowe_A_part2

PID

islandora:2277676

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